


Student Becomes Master

by Rayoislife



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, M/M, enjoy, sorry that i'm not sorry, that's the only tag you get
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 22:16:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1321195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rayoislife/pseuds/Rayoislife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How to summarize this piece? A bit of Ash/Aaron angst that admittedly could have been written better, but you get what you get.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Student Becomes Master

“No,” Ash spoke aloud as he signed to the older man in bed. He shook his head quickly. “No,” he said again firmly.

 

' _Ash, it's okay_ ,' was signed back by shaking hands. Aaron had long since lost his ability to speak thanks to his second stroke. The first one had been brought on by stress and overworking himself when he'd turned forty-five. Ash had strictly told him to take things easier, but Aaron had been put off by that, upset by the old man comments that came his way after that and so he hadn't taken the boy's (could he really call a twenty-six year old a boy still?) warning seriously, despite knowing that he should listen.

 

That little act of rebellion landed him with another stroke which cost him his steady hands and his ability to speak. Now, at fifty-seven years old, he lay in bed with dulling eyesight and muted hearing among other things. Fifty-seven wasn't really that old and while he'd hoped for more time, he could feel it already in his bones that he wouldn't be given much more. Something that his thirty-eight year old partner was taking very hard.

 

“No, it's not okay.” Ash signed angrily to his lover, glaring at the old man as he looked him over. The green eyes had given away to blue already, dulling in color, and his hair had thinned out more. The once just clear skin paled further with age and revealed the veins beneath. Ash had to admit that the man looked much older than he actually was at fifty-seven.

 

' _You took over already._ ' Aaron signed back, shaking his head because he didn't understand how things would be much different. Ash had taken over the clinic after his second stroke just after his forty-sixth birthday and there was nothing more that he could possibly learn from the doctor.

 

“But I don't want you to die!” Ash didn't even bother to sign that, he just shouted it out to his lover and jumped up from his spot on the bed, turning his back on the older man. His shoulders were slumped as he hung his head, blue eyes filling with tears that the thirty-eight year old refused to release, closing his eyes tightly and swallowing against them. “I don't want you to die,” he repeated again, this time softer as he turned back to face the man who was in bed still.

 

' _Ash...if I had a choice-_ '

 

“There has to be something! Anything!” The anger was to cover the hurt and fear that was hidden not so well within those blue eyes. “Anything that can prolong your life.”

 

' _There are things..._ ' Aaron shook his head again at his once-apprentice. ' _But I don't want any of that. When it's my time, it's my time. That's final._ '

 

“You're a selfish bastard, you know.” The accusation was harsh, but made with teary eyes and gritted teeth. Ash's hands were balled into fists as he pressed his nails into his palms harshly.

 

' _Ash-_ '

 

“No, I'm done talking about this, Aaron.” Ash shook his head, shaking away the weepy feeling of crying again. “No more,” he said quietly before turning on his heel stiffly and leaving their shared bedroom to go up to the clinic. He had some very important appointments today.

 

 

 

“No.” Ash shook his head and looked down at the sheets on their bed.

 

' _Ash...you'll be okay._ ' Aaron signed, despite knowing that Ash wasn't looking at him. Probably because the younger man knew already what was being said. It was something they had gone through several times over. The older man watched his young lover with sadness in his eyes.

 

'I love you, Aaron.' In the silence, Ash signed it without looking up from the dull sheets on the bed. His eyes were filling with tears again. This time, he dared to let one fall free. It was caught by a shaking finger that was followed by the hand, caressing his cheek so gently. Ash closed his eyes and didn't need to open them to know that Aaron felt the same way. The younger man reached up and placed his hand over Aaron's, trying to steady it, leaning into the touch.

 

More silence followed as Ash regained control of himself once more, but kept his eyes closed and his hand over his lover's. He lost himself in the feeling of the other's thumb idly stroking his cheek gently. He listened to the breaths coming from Aaron and relished the moments that he'd have for only a short time longer.

 

 

 

Only a few weeks later, Ash found himself looking over his lover's will. There was nothing really there to be spoken of. The man had left Ash everything in the event of his death, but the sentiment was seeing Aaron's handwriting again. Staring at the signature he'd gotten so used to seeing that he could copy it perfectly. The young man didn't take much time at all for himself to grieve despite whatever he may have promised his lover—something about him not doing it over David years ago when he should have—which only resulted in Ash taking over certain mannerisms of his newly deceased partner. Much like the other man, he closed himself out and refused to let anyone else near him despite Mrs. Gobb's youngest daughter coming by frequently and trying to interest him in her pies. Ash refused to believe he'd be okay after all that he'd been through with Aaron.

 


End file.
